Negel Vasser: Three times? One time? Just put hands under some tap water? 

 

Question:

There are many times one has to wash Negel Vasser like after cutting nails, when wake up, before learning Torah, when scratched scalp, walking into a bathroom, touch shoe etc.

When does one wash three times? when is washing one time enough? And when is one just allowed to put hands under some tap water?

 

Answer:

In Shulchan Aruch (סי’ ד סעיף יח) the Alter Rebbe mentions that in the following cases one needs to wash their hands with water but need not wash their hands 3 times:

“A person who has gotten up from bed, or who has left a lavatory or a bathhouse, or who has trimmed his nails, removed his shoes with his hands, touched his feet, touched his body with his hands, washed his hair, touched a louse, engaged in marital relations, checked his clothes for lice — even if he did not actually touch a louse because he did not find any, walked among graves, or touched a corpse. If, however, he merely walked next to a corpse, he does not have to wash his hands. Nevertheless, it has become customary to wash one’s hands even [after leaving a house in which] a corpse [is lying] or after one has accompanied it [on the way to burial].”

In all these cases some water from the tap is sufficient.

“Getting up from bed” does not refer to waking up from sleeping in the morning where one must wash Negel Vaser, 3 times each hand. The common Minhag is to do the same as after going to a cemetery or funeral.

 

Sources:

ראה בכ״ז קצות השולחן ב בבדה״ש כט ובהערות בסוה״ס – לינק למטה. ושקו״ט מזה גם בקובץ פלפולים צרפת פרצת ד. וראה בשאלה ג׳.

לינק לקצות השולחן כאן כאן וכאן .

 

Some have the minhag to wash negel vasser after going to bathroom, See here:

Does one need to wash full Negel Vaser after using the bathroom even for “Ketanim”?

 

 

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